Spring is going to be tasty this year south of the border in Washington state.

From big-city Seattle to small-town Anacortes; fine wine, fine dining, and colourful art and blooms will lure visitors down the I5 corridor.

The popular Taste Washington festival has been expanded in Seattle to constitute a “destination wine event,” according to spokeswoman Kauilani Robinson.

An additional evening of premium wine sampling has created “a great way to expand your time here,” Robinson says.Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center (home of the Space Needle) is the site of the city’s first Red & White Party, March 27. Opened in 2012, Chihuly Garden and Glass showcases hometown hero artist Dale Chihuly’s work; including drawings, signature glass series and large architectural installations (www.chihulygardenandglass.com).

“It’s a gorgeous environment for this,” Robinson says. “It’s a magnum party, and all the wines are 90-plus wines. A great way to try some really special wines and meet some winemakers.”

The Glasshouse attraction will host the Red & White event featuring 21 of the state’s most celebrated wineries. Guests are invited to don red and white cocktail attire and enjoy an evening of great wine and food. After a tour through the exhibition’s galleries and garden, wines from the likes of Sparkman Cellars, Leonetti Cellar, Januik and Col Solare will be offered.

Each winemaker is expected to pour two vintages, many of which will be available for tasting only at this event. Live music will be provided by members of the Seattle Rock Orchestra. Tickets are $195 US (inclusive) and are available at redandwhiteparty.comThe Red & White bash serves as an appetizer for Taste Washington, the largest single-region wine and food event in the U.S. The festival features more than 225 Washington state wineries and more than 65 Pacific Northwest restaurants. The 17th annual event will be held March 29-30 at CenturyLink Field Event Center.

Hotel packages (there are 14 hotels, 33 restaurants and 61 new wineries participating) and tickets to the grand tasting and seminars are available.

For a wine festival with a funkier feel, fans of the grape will head to bucolic Anacortes, easily accessed by road on Fidalgo Island 25 minutes west of Mount Vernon in Skagit County.

The Anacortes Spring Wine Festival is an afternoon event that will run April 12. Some 30 wineries and a half-dozen restaurants are involved.

Farm tours and winemakers’ dinners bracket the bash. Tickets are $40 US in advance and can be found at anacortes.org/spring-wine-fest/eventsAnother feast for the senses starts earlier in April just down the road — The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, April 1-30. Hundreds of thousands of flower fanciers trek to the valley each year as millions of tulips burst into bloom. The flowers do so on Mother Nature’s schedule, but organizers time the festival to ensure a riot of colour greets those who take the requisite driving tour.

Tulips are raised as an agricultural crop and the hundreds of acres of blooming flowers are scattered throughout the Skagit Valley. The picturesque towns of Laconner and Edison make for perfect stops — plenty of charm, funky art galleries and eateries.

The ultra-scenic Chuckanut Drive route back north to Bellingham drops motorists in the heart of that seaside city’s historic Fairhaven district, where more good taste abounds. Visit www.tulipfestival.org for more information.

Down the road, neighbours are out to make the most of the tulip bloom with Art in Bloom, An Evening of Color, on April 5.

The event will feature creative food and spirits and lively art auctions. Ticket are $40 US, available through anacortesartsfestival.com

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